Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has notified the rules under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which came into force from Jun 21, 2024.
Key Highlights of the Rules
- Provides for venue-in-charge to take appropriate action, including filing of FIR, if prima-facie case of unfair means or offense in conduct of public examination is reported.
- Provides for a committee to be constituted by public examination authority if there is involvement of Management or Board of Directors of service provider.
- Service provider is any agency, organization, body, association of persons, business entity, etc., which is engaged by the public examination authority for conduct of public examination.
- Periodic reporting of all incidents of unfair means or offence in conduct of public examination to public examination authority by Regional officer along with details of action taken.
Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024
- "Unfair means” includes unauthorized access or leakage of question paper or answer key, assisting a candidate during a public examination, tampering with computer network or resources, conducting fake examination, etc.
- Punishments
- For person(s) resorting to unfair means: Imprisonment for a term not less than three years but which may extend to five years and with fine up to ten lakh rupees.
- For service provider or any person/ group committing organized crime: Imposition of a fine up to ₹1 crore and proportionate cost of examination shall also be recovered from it.
- All offenses shall be cognizable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable.